Lord William Beresford, V.C., Some Memories of a Famous Sportsman, Soldier and WitMenzies, Stuart, Mrs.
History
Lord William Beresford, V.C., Some Memories of a Famous Sportsman, Soldier and Wit
Menzies, Stuart, Mrs.
Beresford, William Leslie de la Poer, Lord, 1847-1900
Sloan’s seat used to be much commented on when first he came over to
this country, people thought he rode with very short stirrups, but
he did not really, it was the crouching along the neck of the horse
when going fast which gave him that appearance. He attributed much of
his success to this attitude as it gave less resistance to the wind,
therefore helpful to the horses.
Sloan entirely agreed with me on one point, which I have already
expressed in my book _Women in the Hunting Field_, namely that horses
will not tread on you when down if they can possibly help it. _He_
went so far as to say they “would not unless pulled into it.”
Lord William used to say Sloan had no luck unless he was there, and
really it seemed like it. When Lord Bill lost a race he had been
hoping and expecting to win his face was a study, he had marvellous
self-control, and beyond growing very white showed no sign of feeling
and was always most generous to the unhappy and often equally
disappointed jockey.
Lord William thought he had a great horse in St. Cloud II. I fear he
did not fulfil his owner’s expectations, though certainly he was a
great horse, but it was in size, he stood seventeen hands.
The largest stakes Lord William ever went for was probably over
Sandia in the Cambridgeshire. Either St. Cloud or Sandia ought to
have won easily. Lord William and Sloan were under the impression
they had won with Sandia, but Mr. Robinson, the judge, was under the
impression they had not, but that is an old story now. At the time
there was a good deal of feeling about it.
Sandia won the old Cambridgeshire in the Autumn of 1897, and Diakka
won the Duke of York Stakes at Kempton Park, for which he started
favourite.
Lord William found time to go to York and help his brother, Lord
Charles, now Lord Beresford, who was standing in the Conservative
interest against Mr. Furniss. Lord Marcus also went to give a helping
hand. In Lord Beresford’s own book he gives some amusing accounts of
his brother’s smart and witty repartees to questions asked by the
electors. There was a good deal of excitement in the town at the
time. Lord Beresford won by eleven votes, rather a near thing. It
was too much for the poor Lord Mayor, he died the same night from
excitement and strain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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